One of our favorites are the cenotes.  Millions of years ago, this area was part of a coral reef.  When sea levels lowered, the reef was exposed and eventually became limestone. Water dissolved the underlying rock causing it to collapse.  These holes filled with water to form the cenotes.  It is estimated that there may be as many as 10,000 cenotes in the region with many unknown and hidden by the jungle.  They are the only source of fresh water in the Yucatan as there are no rivers.  It is believed that all of the cenotes are interconnected by underground rivers.

Cenotes are Mexico’s hidden wonders. The waters are incredibly clear as there is actually very little exposed surface area and great effort goes into protecting them from pollution.  

Swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving are the activities that take place in the cenotes.   Access is through private ownership so fees do apply.  Before entering the cenotes, you are required to shower to remove any chemicals, oils and sweat from your body.   You can not use any sunscreen or chemical mask defogger if snorkeling or diving.  There is limited life in the cenotes. There are only a few species of fish and bats found there although beautiful tropical birds can be found near the entrances. The real highlights are the caverns with their stalactites, stalagmites and columns.  Before diving, expect your guide to check your buoyancy skills to be sure that you won’t damage the stalactites by unexpectedly hitting them with your tank.

During our recent trip, we visited four different cenotes.  Two were diving and two were swimming only.

We did two dives in the Cenote Dos Ojos called the Batcave and Barbie Line. Both were full of amazing formations and shimmering walls of light where air bells had formed when the cavern roof collapsed exposing the sky above.  These cenotes are classified as caverns rather than caves even though you are underground because of the relatively short distances to areas where you can surface in an emergency.  For this reason, the cave diving certification is not required. The Batcave features a huge cavern with a small hole to above ground where you can surface to see the stalactites and the bats which give it its name. You will need lights during your dives.  We used The Cenote Guy out of Playa del Carmen as our guide. René did a fantastic job and provided a great experience.

Swimming is the order of the day at both Cenote Choo-Ha near Coba and Cenote Saamal near Chichen Itza. Both require you to climb down a long set of stairs to reach the water. You will want some type of water shoe or sandals to protect your feet and keep from slipping on the stairs.  Choo-Ha is inside of a large cavern which is lighted.  Life jackets are available to rent.  Saamal is in a deep pit which features a small waterfall, hanging vines and tropical birds.  At Saamal, it is required that you rent a life jacket because the water is over 150 feet deep.  There are also a couple of restaurants here.  Lockers are also available to rent.  Both of these sites were included with tours we took to the Mayan ruins at Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza.

Adventures await you in the Riviera Maya region if you are willing to go out and experience them.

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1. Toilet Paper:  I always  have toilet paper with me when I am traveling.  I started carrying it when I was traveling in Asia and it wasn’t always available or there would be someone outside of the toilet selling you a few sheets (I like more than three squares thank you very much).  I find that I have needed it all over the world including the United States!  I just wait until my toilet paper at home is down to about ⅓ left.  Then I wiggle the middle cardboard core out, flatten it and put it in a sandwich sized Ziploc style bag.  It doesn’t take up that much space, but is worth it’s weight in gold when you need it!

2. Portable phone charger and phone:  If you are like me you phone is your main camera.  If you are also like me you take a lot of pictures.  When I am out and about on vacation taking pictures the last thing I want to happen is have my phone die.  Not only would my camera be gone, but also my GPS!  I love the linked phone charger.  It is a little bigger and heavier than some of the chargers out there, but it can hold enough charge for up to 3 full charges.  It also holds the charge for a long time.  I will charge it put it in  my purse for weeks until I need it (yes, I have it in my purse even when I’m not traveling).

3. Safety pins:  I use small zipper bags to hold things like safety pins and band aids in my purse.  Safety pins can be used for multiple things.  I have used them to attach my purse strap when it broke in Venice and for a zipper pull when traveling in England.  You never know when you’re going to need them!

4. Band-Aids:  When you walk as much as we do on vacation a blister or two will sometimes start to develop.  An adhesive bandage in the right spot can prevent this.  You also just never know when you might get a scrape.

5. Copy of passport:  I keep a color copy that is laminated of the front page of my passport.  I DO NOT walk around with my passport.  When I am traveling I leave my passport in the safe in my hotel room.  I never want to lose my passport while touring around.  (Note: some countries like Japan require you to keep your passport on you at all times.)  I keep the copy in case I might lose my passport.  I also have used it when buying jewelry in Antwerp.  When you make bigger purchase you can get the tax back at the airport, but you need your passport number when purchasing.  You can also take a picture of the first page of your passport and keep it in your phone.

6. Money-Small bills for tipping:  Of course you will have money in your purse or travel bag!  That said, make sure you have some smaller bills.  Depending on where you are traveling you may need smaller bills for tipping.  I also like to have small bills for sampling street food!

7. Credit card:  Again, of course you will have a credit card or two.  I use my credit card for almost all my purchases.  I do this for three reasons.  First, I don’t like carrying around a lot of cash.  If I lose my purse/wallet I can cancel my credit card but my cash will be gone.  Second, credit cards will look out for you.  If they think a purchase isn’t you they will not let the transaction go through without contacting you first, usually through a text to your phone.  And third,  I’m earning more points to use for more travel!!!  That said, make sure your credit card doesn’t charge fees overseas.  Many will charge 3% that can really add up.  Also make sure you pay off your credit card each month or the points you are earning are expensive!

8. Medical insurance card/ copy of prescriptions/medication:  In case of a medical emergency you want to have all your information!  If you take medication during the day those small zip-loc bags will come in handy again!  My spouse puts all of his meds in single dose bags.  He labels them with the day and time.  This especially helps him keep on track when changing time zones can me tricky.  Lastly, I carry a small container of ibuprofen as well.  After a day of walking tours my knees often need some pain relief!

9. Card from Hotel/keys:  I have heard stories of people going to their hotel checking in and being so excited to explore that they just walk about the door without really know where they were.  I totally believe in wandering and getting a little lost on vacations, but you have to know how to get home!  I always grab one of the cards from the hotel so I have the name and address!

10. Pen and paper:  You never know when you need a pen and paper.  This isn’t as needed in our digital world with notes on your cell phone and all, but sometimes I like to go old school!  When out on tours and just talking to other tourists you often hear about great places to eat, or other places to visit.  I would love to think that I will remember what they say…but let’s face it, that doesn’t happen!

11. Clif bar/ bag of nuts:  Often when we are traveling we hate to stop for lunch.  There is so much to see and stopping for lunch takes up 1-2 hours of prime tourist time.  That is when the museums and shops are open! On busy days we will eat on the run.  Other times we have misjudged how much “extra” time we have between tours or activities.  A little extra protein can really help.  Lasty, if you take a long tour on a bus or train they will often stop for snacks, but you will be paying top price!

12. Water bottle:  Often you can buy bottles of water, but using a refillable bottle is better for your pocketbook and the environment!  Make sure you know if you can drink the water before you fill it up!  We assume that we can drink the water in places like Europe and usually you can but always check.  When we went to Greece we could drink the water on the mainland, but when we went to the island of Santorini we couldn’t.

13. Sun glasses:  Even cloudy days can change into a bright day.  No one likes to squint all day.

14. Hand sanitizer:  I’ve never been a germaphobe…then Covid happened.  After a day of using public transportation I like the reassurance of a little hand sanitizer before I sit down to eat.

15. Itinerary for the day/week:  I’m a planner. I create a Google Doc. for every day that has what we are doing that day.  It also contains things we could do.   I don’t have to do everything on my plan, but my biggest fear is that I might waste time while on vacation trying to figure out what to do next.  I only usually travel to a place once.  I want to see as much as possible.  I keep my itinerary in my purse as a reminder of what is next and where meeting points for tours are.

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Eating Local–We try to eat the local foods. Some go down easier than others. Cuy (pronounced Coo-ee) in Peru and tripe in Florence are two that we can say that we tried it and never have to eat it again. Two of our favorite dining experiences were in Lima, Peru and Athens, Greece. Both times we got lost looking for restaurants recommended to us and ended up in different ones. No one spoke English in either restaurant. In Lima, Colleen knew that she wanted Ceviche and with my very limited Spanish, I knew that pollo meant chicken so I pointed at the menu and crossed my fingers. In Athens, we just picked something off the menu. We knew what gyros were, but Central Wisconsin isn’t known for Greek dining so we were adventurous. We ended up going back there several nights during our stay. The food was fantastic in both restaurants. These were restaurants where the locals ate so we had authentic dining experiences, not meals that were adapted to cater to tourists’ tastes. I also like to sample the local beers when traveling and have found some great craft beers like the Donkey beers by Santorini Brewing in Santorini, Greece or Wawel in Krakow, Poland.

International Culture–We’ve attended Flamenco dancing performances in Spain and Fado singing in Lisbon. We always visit art museums and UNESCO World Heritage sites. As a history major, historical locations and museums are a part of almost all of our trips. Many of these sites are seeing heavy tourist traffic. Please, please, be considerate of the sites when you visit. If there are chains up, they’re there for a reason; to protect something. Don’t cross them even if the perfect selfie is on the other side. Don’t take anything other than pictures and don’t write on or otherwise deface the site.

Below are some of our favorite pictures that we have taken on our trips along with travel quotes that inspire us. We hope that they inspire you to go someplace new.

Colleen and I have taken all of the pictures that we use on our website and our Facebook posts.. Be sure to check back as we will continue to add pictures from our travels.

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Eventually, it will happen; you’re standing at the luggage carousel watching it go around and around and your bag doesn’t appear.  What now?  Most major airlines have a baggage service desk near the baggage claim area.  Go there immediately to report your lost bags and they will contact you when your bags arrive.  If it happens when you’re returning home, it’s probably not a big problem, but what if it happens when you arrive at your destination?  Hopefully, your bags will arrive in a couple of hours, but I did once have to wait two days.  What are your options?  You can cross your fingers and hope that your luggage shows up in a couple of hours or pull out your credit card and go shopping or use what you have in your carry on and enjoy your vacation.  Except for some budget and economy flights, most of the airlines allow you one carry-on and one personal item such as a purse or backpack.  Note: There has been a trend recently where the airlines are asking you to check your roller bags at the gate.  For this reason, I carry as much as possible in my backpack.  Here are the 15 things that I always put in my carry on.

1. Medicine  Always make sure that you have your prescription medicine with you.  If it is a short trip, I’ll use a small pill caddy.  For longer trips, I use small plastic bags that I label am or pm for each day of the trip.  I put all of the little bags in a larger Ziploc style bag and that takes up very little room.  I always pack for an extra day in case of a cancellation or better yet, a bump.  Some recommend taking all of your medicines in their original containers, but I have never had any problems.
2. A change (or two) of clothes  You’ll want to adjust this to fit your itinerary, but I usually just pack an extra pair of socks, underwear, and a T-shirt.  You may want to pack a second shirt.  You can wear a pair of pants a second day if needed.
3. Toiletries  It’s nice to be able to brush your teeth and clean up a bit after a long flight.  I always carry my liquids in my backpack in an outside pocket where I can easily get them if needed.  Remember that liquids are required to be in 3oz or smaller bottles and fit in a quart bag.
4. Contact case and solution  If your luggage is delayed overnight or you develop eye irritation, you’ll be glad that you have this with you.
5. Phone Charger  This is especially true if you use a smartphone.  You use it for directions, taking pictures, finding transportation and of course you’ll need a way to be contacted when the airline calls to let you know that your luggage has finally arrived.  
6. Earbuds  These really aren’t necessary, but they don’t take up much room and I prefer having my own to the ones provided by the airline.
7. Computer  If you take a computer or tablet, you want it with you so that you can keep track of it and make sure that it doesn’t get damaged.
8. Masks  For the most part, mask mandates are a thing of the past, but you may run into one.  If you test positive, current guidelines call for wearing a mask.  
9. Writing materials  I always carry a couple of pens and mechanical pencils and a notebook in my backpack.  I scribble down my thoughts about where we visited, things that we might consider doing differently or just a list of things that I need to remember to do. 
10. A color copy of your passport  This is important if you are traveling internationally.  Ideally, you should laminate it so it holds up to the rigors of travel.
11. A copy of your itinerary  When we travel, Colleen always makes up packets that includes flight, hotel and rental car information along with a daily schedule of activities with contact information for tour guides.  We each carry one in our carry-ons and we give a copy to our sons in case they need to contact us.
12. Toilet paper  You can’t always count on there being some.  This is an emergency supply; just put a partial roll in a Ziplock style bag.  We were recently at a restaurant, while in Europe, and discovered that there was no toilet paper.  I mentioned it to the bartender and she informed me that their supplies wouldn’t be there until the next day.  Colleen pulled a partial roll out of her purse and saved the day for our group.
13. Safety pins  Safety pins are small and can be used for a multitude of travel needs.  Colleen puts a small baggie in her purse or backpack whenever we travel, they take up little to no room!  To be honest I rarely need them but when I do they are worth their weight in gold.  On a trip to Venice the strap to Colleen’s purse suddenly broke.  Without a large safety pin she would have had to hold on to her purse in her hand for the rest of the day.  Knowing her, that might have meant setting it down somewhere and losing it forever!  Safety pins can also be used for broken bra straps, rips in pants or zipper handles. 
14. Water bottle  After you’re through security at the airport, you can fill it up so you’re not paying exorbitant airport prices for water.  We always carry them with us when we are out and about each day.
15. Metal Straw  Again, not necessary, but we don’t like paper straws.

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Plan Your Trip

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Welcome to our blog.  We are Colleen and Mike.  We love to travel, and we both have backgrounds in education.  Colleen is a kindergarten teacher and travel advisor and I now work with Buildings and Grounds.  Many people wonder how we are able to travel as much as we do on school employee salaries.

Colleen and I both had a desire to travel and see the world, but we were held back by fear and uncertainty, not to mention the lack of funds to cover what we thought it would cost.  Our goal is to help take the fear and mystery out of travel and assure new and less experienced travelers that they can have fantastic experiences for less than they might have imagined.

Between us, we have visited twenty-eight countries and thirty-nine states.  We’ve added goals of seeing games in all the major league baseball stadiums and visiting all of the US National Parks.  COVID has limited our travel to primarily the continental US.  We did visit twelve National Parks in 2021, as well as taking a trip to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.  In 2022, we ventured out internationally with trips to Greece, Germany and Poland. We still have trips where the unexpected happens and we have to come up with a Plan B on the fly.

When we talk to others, we often get questions about how we learned to do something or hear tales of trips that didn’t turn out the way they had hoped. We often hear concerns that keep people from traveling like not knowing a foreign language, safety concerns, how to get around or the cost.  In addition to sharing our experiences in some great locations, our goal is to share our tips, tricks, and knowledge to take the fear out of traveling and encourage people to venture forth and see something new.  We will include our strategies for planning and booking our trips and how we organize all of the elements that go into a successful trip.  We’ll also share some of our favorite destinations and things to do.

“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn.  Climb that goddamn mountain.”-Jack Kerouac

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